The Chin National Front, an ethnic armed rebel group in Burma, said it is likely to meet junta delegates for the second round of peace talks following the conclusion of the National Convention, which is currently being held outside Rangoon.

Dr. Sui Khar, joint general secretary of the CNF, who led the first round of talks with the junta in March, said they fear the junta in all likelihood will pressurise them to surrender arms during the second round.

“We have not fixed the dates but I believe it [second round of talks] is likely to take place after the National Convention is over… and there are signs that the junta will pressure us to abandon armed revolution,” Sui Khar told Mizzima.

In mid March, the CNF held the first round of peace talks with the Burmese junta delegation led by Lt-Col Myint Thin and Major Zaw Min from the North Western Military Division, at the Indo-Burmese border town of Rih in Chin State, close to the group’s base.

“The peace mediators led by Pu Chawn Kio have been told that the junta officials will respond within a month with the dates and intimate about the second round of talks,” Sui Khar said.

However, the Chin rebel leader said, the group would not succumb to the likely pressure from the junta but would question the conditions to abandon armed struggle and watch the political developments in Burma.

“We will have to see what provisions are included in the junta’s draft constitution and accordingly we will have to decide,” said Sui Khar.

The CNF, formed in 1989 by Chin student activists, has been fighting for self-determination and calling for national reconciliation through tripartite dialogue between the ruling junta, the 1990 election winning party – the National League for Democracy – and ethnic minorities.